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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 162
Location: Piedmont MO
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 Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 5:30 am Post subject: Distributor drive gear spring |
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| Does anyone know the dimensions of the spring? Thanks |
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Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76935
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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travis1488
Samba Member
Joined: July 19, 2005
Posts: 162
Location: Piedmont MO
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 5:53 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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| That's my plan but I need something fast for now. I live in Bfe and no shops even close. |
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tasb
The Distributor Distributor
Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 6371
Location: Pentwater, Michigan
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| Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 8:15 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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Your going to make things worse by trying to find something close.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018
1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc
1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse |
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ekacpuc
Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2010
Posts: 1414
Location: ketchikan alaska
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| Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 6:10 pm Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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| tasb wrote: |
| Your going to make things worse by trying to find something close. |
It's a anti chatter spring.. what will the issue be? On my first motor I didn't even have one and didn't see issues on then gears when I took the motor apart. |
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76935
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 6:19 pm Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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| ekacpuc wrote: |
| tasb wrote: |
| Your going to make things worse by trying to find something close. |
It's a anti chatter spring.. what will the issue be? On my first motor I didn't even have one and didn't see issues on then gears when I took the motor apart. |
Actually the distributor driveshaft is pulled down when the engine is running. that why there are steel thrust washers under it to prevent the spinning steel shaft from cutting into the softer magnesium.
The spring is to prevent chatter in the distributor in the event of the fiber washers or shims are damaged and there's excessive vertical play in the distributor body.
So... YES, you can run without it, just like you can run with missing engine tin and not flaps or thermostat, but i wouldn't.
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
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BFB
Samba Member
Joined: November 03, 2014
Posts: 1762
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| Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 6:40 pm Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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hey OP try the spring out of an ink pen, MacGyver that shit
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Forced induction can overcome a lot of obsticles that gets in it's way
"You are the Engineer and the Mechanic.
Build it your way not the way someone else does it. Their way might not work for you." - clonebug
An interesting thing happens in forums where everyone starts parroting the same thing and "common knowledge" takes over.
“ The monkey see monkey do mentality seems to run deep in VW people. "Gene Berg said it was so 30 years ago so thats the way it is" “ - bdkw1 |
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76935
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 6:43 pm Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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OP.. i have springs in stock. You can PM me and I can ship as fast as you can afford.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21518
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 6:49 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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I feel the need to add to this.....because even though Glenn and tasb are 100% correct.....you guys are giving no logical information of why another generic spring could not be used. If someone is trying to think through or make sense of the whys and hows.....it may seem illogical.
A. Yes having no spring is bad. Why? Because the distributors come with a specific amount of tolerance between the shims, drive dog and body (and other components depending on model).....to allow for oil and expansion. No spring allows the shaft to hammer up and down as rpm changes and beats the crap out of the soft shims and parts. No spring = bad is easy to understand.
2. The shims are relatively soft and can wear fast with excessive pressure. And its not high pressure oiled so with a little too much pressure its easy to force out the oil that should be there.
Unless you have a spec.....for the exact length of the spring and the compression it needs to have....and for exactly how much compression pressure it generates.....you will have no idea how much tension a generic spring from the hardware will generate.
Springs are actually pretty complex. You might find one that has the same length, diameter and wire coil diameter.....but if it is not the same alloy, wire coil pitch and temper.....it may be miles away different.
Just order the correct spring and dont drive it for a couple of days. Order a spare too! Ray |
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Alstrup
Samba Member
Joined: July 12, 2007
Posts: 7215
Location: Videbaek Denmark
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| Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 8:10 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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What Ray said.
And while you are at it you may want to check if the tolerance between the drive and distributor drive is within specs. On high mileage cases it is usually not and should be adressed.
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76935
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 8:33 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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Ray, i don't have the specs, but too much pressure will wear the fiber washers and shims in the distributor and too little will not do the job.
You can debate all you want, but the "correct" spring is easily obtainable so why look for a hardware store solution.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21518
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Thu May 06, 2021 9:27 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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| Glenn wrote: |
Ray, i don't have the specs, but too much pressure will wear the fiber washers and shims in the distributor and too little will not do the job.
You can debate all you want, but the "correct" spring is easily obtainable so why look for a hardware store solution. |
Yep.....If you read what I wrote.....I said the same thing. 
Its kind of hard to actually measure and get spring specs. Not worth it if you can just get the correct oem spring.
Ray |
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tasb
The Distributor Distributor
Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 6371
Location: Pentwater, Michigan
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| Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 7:51 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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ok, the spring from an ink pen is going to give out in a hurry under the conditions you will be placing it in. I was basing my opinion upon the niumber of threads you can find on this site where people are having issues with their distributor and or ignition not working or working properly. Glenn's not the only one with spare springs, I'd hazard a guess that just about every VW owner has one so why not find the correct part.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018
1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc
1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse |
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tasb
The Distributor Distributor
Joined: April 27, 2002
Posts: 6371
Location: Pentwater, Michigan
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| Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 7:53 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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Sometimes reasons for a statement are omitted due to time or the insistence upon doing things the wrong way even after being warned by someone with experience on the topic, move on. if you're not worried about little metal bits from a ball point pen spring bouncing around inside your engine go ahead.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018
1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc
1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse |
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Glenn
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76935
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Fri May 07, 2021 8:36 am Post subject: Re: Distributor drive gear spring |
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| tasb wrote: |
| if you're not worried about little metal bits from a ball point pen spring bouncing around inside your engine go ahead. |
Good point.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
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